diff --git a/hw/intc/sifive_plic.c b/hw/intc/sifive_plic.c
index 877e76877ccf245d6e920790f3a7d7365e295dde..cbbe6372f9158e58882140fbec39db1c3d794297 100644
--- a/hw/intc/sifive_plic.c
+++ b/hw/intc/sifive_plic.c
@@ -414,8 +414,10 @@ static void sifive_plic_irq_request(void *opaque, int irq, int level)
 {
     SiFivePLICState *s = opaque;
 
-    sifive_plic_set_pending(s, irq, level > 0);
-    sifive_plic_update(s);
+    if (level > 0) {
+        sifive_plic_set_pending(s, irq, true);
+        sifive_plic_update(s);
+    }
 }
 
 static void sifive_plic_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)